Heading “home”

It was dull with a mizzle in the air when we left this morning. I was well-prepared with not only a banana but also, a hummus and lettuce sandwich. (We have never been able to pick salad leaves from the garden in February before).

We drove to the Hethpool car park, passing the oak trees planted by Collingwood’s wife in 1800s. Admiral Collingwood took over from Nelson after he was killed at Trafalgar in 1805.

After parking we were allowed to walk up the College valley road (only 10 cars a day, at a cost of £10, are allowed to drive further than th3 free car park.) The track took us though a wood which had been devastated by Storm Arwen. Then it was a steep pull up before we reached the track leading to Scotland and the final section of the Pennine Way. We could see for miles - the big picture is Mr C with the Eildon Hills in the distance on his left. The signpost shows it is 10.5 miles to Windy Gyle, and it’s a hard walk. I think we climbed 3000ft (3 ascents followed by steep descents) the day Mr C’s sister dropped us off to walk back to our car which we’d left the day before up the Coquet Valley. That day we’d walked The Street, an old drove road to Hownam in the Kale Valley then along Dere Street Roman Road towards the farm I lived on as a child and on to Cessford to stay the night with Mr C’s sister.

We stayed on the Pennine Way till it reached the St Cuthbert’s Way then headed back to Hethpool. 7.5 miles. A grand day.

Now I hope to book Harryhaussen tickets before the show is over - a city visit is overdue.